Packing or shipping case.



R. MILLER JR PACKING 0R SHIPPING CASEI APPLICATION man Al JG.I4, ms.

Patented Feb. 12, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

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WITNESSES B. MILLER, 1R;

PACKING 0R SHIPPING CASE.

APPLICATION FILED A'UGH ms.

Z SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Patented Feb. 12, 1918.

i l llTElD? %TATE% PATENT UFFltQlE.

REUBEN MILLER, JR, 013 PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA.

PACKING OR SHIPPING CASE.

Application filed August 14,, 1915.

To all whom 2'25 may concern:

Be it known that I, REUBEN MILLER, Jr., a citizen of the United States, and resident of Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Packing or Shipping Cases, of'which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in packing or shipping cases, pertaining more particularly to structures of this character employed in shipping fragile articles, such as glassware, etc.

The present invention is particularly de signed to provide for the packing of a plurality of articles differingin size and con tour, the packing being in such manner as to retain the individual articles permanently out of contact and yet provide a shipping case which is compact and which carries a minimum amount of filling orsegregating material.

One of the intended uses of the present invention is the formation of a packing and shipping case adapted for sets of articles for instance, a punch bowl, itsstand, and the glasses, these making up a punch bowl set,

the punch bowl and its stand difiering from each other in size and contour, and also differing similarly from the glasses. ()bviously, sets of articles of this type cannot be packed in the way in which articles of uni form size and character are packed. Consequently, the problem of arranging articles of this non-uniform type within the packing case in such manner as to insure safe transportation and at the same time provide a case which is compact and of a minimum weight is not solved by the prior structures, so far as thesame are known to me. One of the diiliculties in this connection is the weight of the articles themselves, as for instance, the punch bowl, this article generally being large and weighty, a factor which must be taken care of in arranging the structure, since it is essential that the neces sary supporting strength he provided while employing a minimum weight of material in such supports.

To these and other ends, the nature of which will be readily understood as the in vention is hereinafter describechmyinvention consists in the improved construction and combination of partshereinafter fully Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb.'1l2, 191%.

Serial No. 45,476.

In the accompanying drawing, in which similar reference characters indicate similar parts in each of the views,

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a packing case constructed in accordance with my invention with the cover flaps open.

Fig. 2 is a bottom plan View of the case with the cover flaps open.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 33 of Fig. 1.

The packing case and the flaps employed are preferably formed of pulp boardsuch as double-faced corrugated papera material which, owing to its lightness in weight and the ability to manipulate it without loss of strength, is especially useful for the purposes of the invention.

The case is of comparatively large dimen sions, especially where used for the purpose above indicated andis formed square or rectangular in contour depending upon the character of the articles being shipped, the vertical walls of, the structure in the drawing being shown in the form of a square, these walls being indicated at 1.0. The top and bottom are each preferably formed with double flaps, a usual construction, the flaps from opposite sides being folded in wardly, after which the flaps from the remaining sides are folded on top. These flaps are indicated at 11 and are similar at the top and bottom, the case of the present invention being adapted to permit removal of the articles through either or both top and bottom. As in all structures of this type made from this material, strengthening and connecting straps or strips of suitable materials such as muslin may be employed at the proper points, especially on the folding lines, thus tending to form a hinge type of structure. Similarly, after the case has been filled, such straps may be employed to connect opposing ed es'to retain the flaps closed.

This general arrangement of the case is along the lines generally employed and I make no claim for the specific manner in which the case itself thus described is formed. The invention resides more particularly in the arrangement of the filler structure by means of which the articles are supported, and which additionally act as braces for the case itself.

The case is divided into upper and lower compartments by a removable partition 12 which is preferably located closer to the top than to the bottom of the case, this partition being provided with an opening 12 substantially at its center for a purpose to be described. This partition is supported on the top edges of a plurality of filling members 13, the latter being preferably arranged as shown in Fig. 2. These members 13 combinedly form bracing and supporting elements extending diagonally across the lower compartment, reaching from one corner to the diagonally opposite corner of the case, thus bisecting the angle formed between adjacent case walls. Each element is made up of parts of four sheets of the filling material, each sheet forming a part .hand corner to the upper lefthand corner,

thus providing a double or duplex thickness ofmaterial for each element and at the same time bracing the element and case by reason of the V-shaped formation of each sheet. The

oppositely inclined portions of each sheet, together with the walls of the casing which connects the opposite ends of the sheets, form a triangle having a similar triangle on each of its outer faces within the case, thereby providing an arrangement possessing maximum strength and minimum weight.

As shown more particularly in Mg. 3, these sheets or members 13 are cut away from their tops to accommodate the exterior of the punch bowl, the members having a height sutiiciently greater than the height of the punch bowl to provide a material space between the bowl and the bottom flaps; since the intersection of the elements formed from the members 13 is below the center of the punch bowl, it will be readily understood that although the punch bowl is seated on the edges of the skcletonized filling, it will be securely held in position out of contact with the sides and the bottom of the case, and therefore free from liability of being damaged in transportation, this being due to the triangular arrangement of its supports which, as heretofore pointed out, not only mutually support each other,

i but also support the case itself.

The partition 12 rests upon the upper edges of members 13; it may also rest upon i the portions of the bowl which may extend to the top plane of these members, although this is not absolutely essential.

As heretofore pointed out, the partition 12 is provided with an opening 12, and this Consequently, the

action being prevented'by the Presence of i a filler 1:1 which is mounted within a square spacing and division wall 15 extending between the partition 12 and the top flaps outside of the stand. The filler 1 1 is formed by four upwardly extendingfianges 141- at the periphery of a flat sheet, this filler fitting within the spacing member15, with the flanges 1 1 of a length suflicient to bridge the distance between the stand. and the up per flaps. Consequently, the stand is held from rocking when the upper flaps are in position, thereby preventingany swinging movements which would cause'the stand to damage the bowl or be damaged thereby.

An annular spacing member 16 extends around the interior of the case and preferably adjacent the case walls above the partition 12, this member having a depth equal to thedistance between the partition and the top flaps, and forming a reinforce for the case walls at this point. The members 15 and 16 are spaced from each other, and be tween these members I, place division strips 17, these strips having such length that when creased and bent on the creases, they will form triangular cells,'two of which have their bases on the member 16 and one on the member 15. For instance, one wall 17 extends from the lower left hand cornerof Fig. l to the similar corner of member 15, then downward into contact with member 16 midway of the length of the lower wall of the case, then to the lower righthand corner of member 15, and then to the lower righthand corner of member 16, thus com pleting the three lower cells of Fig. 1. Another wall extends from the lower righthand corner of this figure'to the upper righthand corner in a similar manner, each side of the case having such an arrangement. Consequently, I provide a bracing element extending diagonally as in the lower compartment, the element of the upper compartment, however, simply connecting similar corners of members 15 and 16, this arrangement, however, providing for bracing the corners ofthe case itself.

As will be understood, the several division walls form cells sufficient to accommodate a dozen tumblers witheach tumbler Since the spacing members and division walls of the upper'compartment, with the exception of member 14-, all have a width equal tothe distance between the partition 12 and the top fiapsyand said member 14 has-its flan'gesof awidth which, together with that portion of the stand above the partition, equals the depth of these members, said partition 12 will be held against vertical movement within the case after the flaps have been closed, thereby preventing any ma-terial movement of the punch bowl andstand'even though thecase be inverted with the entire weight of the punch bowl on this partition.

From the above disclosure in connection with the drawings, it will be clear that I have provided a construction employing a minimum amount of filling material arranged to provide maximum supporting strength not only'with respect to the support of the articles which are being packed,

but also with respect to the case itself, the

latter being braced at points where the folding of the case material might tend to weaken the structure.

Obviously, the structure herein disclosed may be employed in connection with the shipment of other articles, but, as heretofore pointed out, it is especially adapted for packing and shipment of the articles which form a complete set, thereby enabling the manufacturer to ship individual sets with a surety not only of safe transportation, but that the set comprises the proper articles for completing the set.

It will also be understood that, while the construction is intended and available for use in the shipment of a complete set, the arrangement of filler structures is such that any one or more of the'articles may be omitted-without in any way affecting the shipment of those artic les which may be packed. For instance,the punch bowl alone maybe shipped, or the stand, or the glasses, or one or more of the glasses, or any combination, the filler structures providing the desired operation irrespective of whether the articles are present. For instance, the case may be shipped empty with the fillers in their proper positions ready to receive the articles of the set. When the destination is reached and packing is to take place, the fillers of the upper compartment and the partition may be removed and the bowl seated on the members 13, the partition restored, the stand placed in position, and the fillers of the upper compartment placed in position, thereby producing the cells for the glasses. Or the bottom of the case may be opened, the members 13 removed, the bowl placed in position on the partition, the members 13 replaced, the case inverted, and the stand and tumblers be placed in position.

Obviously, the general arrangement interior of the case may varyto meet the particular conditions pertaining to the shipment of'a particular character of article, and such variations are contemplated by the present invention, the essential being that this individuality and independence of support together with the bracing action be present, thus eliminating the necessity for the presence of anyone or more of thearticles in order to provide this result, the filling structures being so arranged as to providethe individual supporting action and mutual cooperation in producing this action.

What I claim is 1. In packing cases, an outer case, a horizontally extending partition dividing the case into an upper anda lower compartment, said partition being apertured to form a retaining seat for an article, means within the upper compartment dividing said compartment into a plurality of individual article containing cells, supporting means in the lower compartment, said latter'means cooperating with the cell forming means for maintaining the position of the partition and reinforcing the case.

In packing cases, an outer case, a horizontally extending partition dividing the case into an upper and a lower compartment, said partition being apertured to form a retaining seat for an article, means within the upper compartment dividing said compartment into a plurality of individual article containing cells, supporting means in the lower compartment combining with the case walls to produce a triangular formation, said latter means cooperating with the cell forming means for maintaining th position of the partition and reinforcing the case.

3. In packing cases, an outer case, a hori zontally extending apertured partition dividing the case into an upper and a lower compartment, means, including an angular member surrounding the aperture, within the upper compartment dividing said compartment into a plurality of individual article containing cells, supporting means in the lower compartment combining with the case walls to produce a triangular formation, said latter means cooperating with the cell forming means for maintaining the position of the partition and reinforcing the case.

l. In packing cases having an openable top, removable means for supporting individual articles therein, said means including a partition extending substantially parallel with the top and adapted to form compartments, and supporting elements within said compartments and between said. partition and the top and bottom of the case for fixedly positioning the partition, the elements of thelower compartment each combining with the case wall to produce a triangular formation, said triangles having confacial contact but free from interengagement.

6. In packing cases having an openable top, removable means for supporting articles therein individually, said means including a partition extending substantially par allel with the top and adapted to form compartments, said partition having an opening the walls of which are adapted to suspend an article projecting through the opening, and elements within the compartments for positioning the partition within the case, said elements including an angular member above said partition and spaced from the case walls, said member surrounding the partition opening, and members between said angular member and the case walls.

7. In packing cases having an openable top, removable means for supporting articles therein individually, said means including a partition extendin substantially parallel with the top and ac apted-to form compartments, said partition having an opening the walls of which are adapted to suspend an article projecting through the opening, elements within the compartments for positioning the partition within the case, said elements including an angular member above said partition and spaced from and extending parallel with the case walls, said member surrounding the partition opening, and means for maintaining the position of said member.

8. In packing cases having an openable top, removable means for supporting articles therein individually, said means including a partition extending substantially parallel with the top and adapted to form compart ments, said partition having an opening the walls of which are adapted to suspend an article projecting through the opening, and elements within the compartments for positioning the partition within the case, said elements including an angular member above said partition and spaced from and extending parallel with the case walls, said member surrounding the partition opening, and

members between'said angularmember and case wall reinforcements. 1 V jj 9. In packing cases having an openable top, removable means for supporting articles therein individually, said means including a partition extending" substantially parallel with the top and adapted to form compartments, said partition havingan opening the walls of which are adapted to suspend anarticle projecting through the opening, and elements within the compartments for positioning the partition within the case, said, elements including anangular member above said partition and spaced from the case walls, said member surrounding the partition opening, and a member insertiblc within the angular member and having a depth substantially equal to the distance between the suspended article and the case top.

10. In packing cases having an openable top,removable means for supporting articles therein individually, said'm'eans including a partition extending substantially parallel with the top and adapted to formcompartments, said partition having an opening the walls of which are adapted to suspend anarticle projecting through the opening, and

elements within the compartments for positioning the partition within the case, said elements including an angular member above said partition and spaced from thecase walls, said member surrounding the partition opening, and a member insertible with in the angular memberand having a depth substantially equal to the distance betweenthe suspended article and the case top, said inserti'ble member having an open top. I

11. In packing case's having an'openable top, removable means for supporting articles therein individually, said means including a partition extending substantially parallel with the top and adapted to form compartments, said partition having an opening the walls of which are adapted to suspend an article projecting through theopening, and elements within the compartments for positioning the partition within the case, said elements including an angular member above saidpartition and spaced from and extending .parallelwith the case walls, said member surroul iding the partition opening, and members between said angular member and case Wall reinforcements, said latter members combining with the said angular member and case wall reinforcements to form triangular shapedcells annular of the angular member.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature Copies of'this' patent may be obtained for five cents each. by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

' Washington, D. C. I 

